Ducks’ Parros gets less hairy for charity

ANAHEIM – Ducks right wing George Parros got a rare haircut Monday as part of the second annual George Parros Cut for the Kids.

The team’s resident enforcer, the 6-foot-5, 231-pound Parros was at the ESPN Zone at Downtown Disney to donate his hair to the Childhood Leukemia Foundation

Parros, 29, has been growing his hair long and making donations to noprofit organizations that provide children with wigs to aid in their fights against cancer since he was in the Kings’ farm system, at Manchester, N.H., in 2003.

“It’s something that I find easy to do, just grow my hair out all year and get one haircut,” Parros said. “It’s going to come off anyway, and I could care less what it looks like during the year. It benefits a good cause, and if people come along with me to do it, I think it’s a great idea. It’s something anyone can do.”

Thirty fans were invited to join Parros in donating their hair, with 10 professional hairstylists from Sport Clips volunteering to cut participants’ hair.

“If it’s raised any awareness for child leukemia or cancer, and it can benefit them, that’s great,” Parros said. “I’ve met a lot of nice people throughout the years doing this – a lot of good stories, heartwarming stories. I’ve met a lot of kids who grow their hair out to help other kids. That’s really cool.”

The Childhood Leukemia Foundation offers a wide range of services at no charge to cancer-stricken children and their families. The organization also provides thousands of custom-made, 100 percent human-hair wigs with kid-friendly hats to children around the country.

The genesis of Parros’ idea was almost an accident. Parros simply felt like growing his hair long after having left Princeton University in 2003.

“I never really did it as a PR thing with the team until I came here and they heard about it,” Parros said. “They felt there would be people excited to do it, and get more people to donate, and that was fine with me. It’s grown a little bit bigger each year.”

The biggest challenge, Parros said, comes shortly before the haircut.

“The last month or two, it kind of gets out of hand,” he said.

To see photos of Parros’ hair-raising adventure, click on “More Photos” above.

Contact the writer: dwood@ocregister.com